The Seiberling Family History

This Website is dedicated to the descendants of Michael Seiberling (b.1699 - d.1791). The majority of all the Seiberlings who reside in United States today can trace their roots back to the eighteenth century and to one man (Michael Seuberlich, see note 1) who came from Germany.

To most people this would be a 'so what' but when you realize some of the important accomplishments some members of this family have made (not only to the United States, but to the world). It does have an impact.

Michael was the first Seiberling to come to America, he arrived on October 16, 1741 with his wife, two young sons and two very young daughters. They came on the ship MOLLY that left from Rotterdam, Netherlands, put into Deal, England, and then made the long crossing to Philadelphia.

We know little about him except that he was forty two years of age and was able to write his own name, which indicates some kind of schooling in Germany. His wife, Sarah (b.1700 - d.unk.) and sons Michael (b.1728 - d.1759) 13 years old, Christian (b.1731 - d.1816) ten, and two sisters, Sara (b.1734) 7 years old and Christina (b.1737) 4 years old- (it is unknown if the young sisters survived the trip). Christian (our direct ancestor) was born in Ellmendingen, (Palatinate Area) Germany, so that is probably the location where the Seiberlings began their trip.

The Seiberling family is said to have remained in Philadelphia for almost two months because there was danger from the Indians in the area they chose to settle. Their objective was a place in the timber country south of the Blue Mountains and about seventy miles north of Philadelphia (now known as Weisenburg Township, in the county of Lehigh). Friends eventually sent word to the Seiberlings, that there were no Indians south of the Blue Mountains, so it was safe to undertake the journey, which they made on foot in three days. They arrived in the middle of winter, and quickly went to work to build a cabin near a spring.

Michael lived to see the Revolution from the English crown, a conflict in which his son Christian and grandson Frederick (b.1761 - d.1837) bore arms. Michael (Michael's older son) died in 1759 at the age of 31 and was unmarried. This left the responsibility of carrying on the Seiberling name in America on the shoulders of Christian. From 1778 to 1783 he was a private in the Northampton County Rangers. His name appears in two different volumes of the Pennsylvania Archives as a private of the Depreciation Pay List of Northampton County Militia.

Michael (the elder) and Sarah, Christian's parents, lived with him and his wife Ernestine (Holben, b.1728, d.1824) until their death (Christian inherited his fathers farm). Christian and Ernestine lived out their lives on the farm (see note 2) and it was passed on to his son Fredrick. No burial site has ever been found for either Michael or Christian, but it is believed they are all buried somewhere on the farm. Fredrick went on the marry Catherine Weiss (b. unk, d. 1814) and was the father of John Frederick (b.1783, d.1875) who in turn was the father of Nathan (b.1810, d.1889).

This brings us to the one person we want to especially honor, our great grandfather James H. Seiberling who was the son of Nathan Seiberling (see the Family Tree for more details).

James H. Seiberling was born November 25, 1835 in Doylestown, Ohio and died July 7, 1916 in Jonesboro, Indiana. He was one of the original signers in organizing and incorporating the city of Doylestown in 1867 and was one of its first officers. He was a partner with Sam Miller in the Doylestown Banking Corporation, the Empire Mowers Reapers, and Twine Binders Co., and other business ventures.

In 1890 James H. went to Jonesboro where he founded and was president of the Indiana Wire and Cable Co., his brother Monroe Seiberling being vice president. The factory was built to produce a high grade of insulated wire and cables. The Seiberlings had a lot to learn in order to convert the crude rubber into finished insulation in order to cover the bare conducting wire.

The process began in Brazil, up the Amazon and into the interior of Brazil's heavy rain forest. (The rubber tree of Brazil is really a giant species of milkweed and when about fifteen years old it begins to yield a sap.) Sap hunters tapped the giant trees similar to the way sugar maples are tapped here in the U.S. The milky sap was carried to camps where it was heated. Long sticks were dipped in it, over and over so a ball could form on one end of the stick until it was too heavy to hold. The sap was allowed to dry until it was ready to be shipped in a crude ball or biscuit, to Jonesboro, Indiana. When the rubber arrived it was soaked and pressed through huge rollers to remove impurities and then hung for several months in a dark room at a temperature maintained at 100 degrees. When the rubber was thoroughly seasoned, it was cut into strips and put onto mixing rollers where other ingredients were introduced to make the best quality rubber for insulation. This whole process was known as Paranite. Two of the largest projects using this product were in the construction of the Panama Canal and the Lyric Opera House in Chicago.

James H. was also involved with his brother Monroe in the Diamond Plate Glass Company in Kokomo, Indiana and also in the Kokomo Strawboard Company of which he was an officer.

James H. Seiberling was the uncle of Frank A. founder of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and the Seiberling Tire Company. He was married to Elizabeth Baughman for fifty six years and together they reared five children, one of whom was our grandfather Robert. On First Street in Jonesboro he built a large house for himself and Elizabeth and houses for each of his children. A part of the factory and some of the houses still stand today.

Note 1. The name 'Seiberling' originally came from the word 'Seiverlich' and was the name of a clan of people who lived in the region of middle Germany in feudal times. At some point in time, before the Reformation, a doctor Seiwerlich, along with his family, immigrated to Swabia in Southern Germany. He changed his name to 'Seiwerling'. As his family multiplied and scattered about, the name continued to be changed. Seuberlich, Seiweling, Suberling and Seiberling are a few of the German spellings.

Note 2. Christian, like his father, had a conscientious and kind disposition. Even the Indians were his friends, they made frequent trips to his home and he gave them gifts of milk and tobacco, but never liquor. Some of the neighbors were harassed and killed by the Indians, but the Seiberlings were never disturbed.

All of the dates and history herein were researched and gathered by our dedicated cousin Mary Ann Byrd and family friend Walter Arnold of Ellmendingen, Germany.

This material was edited and compiled by his great grandchildren, Robert L. Seiberling , Marilyn G. Seiberling, his great great granddaughters, Katherine Seiberling Falbo, Carrie Seiberling and dedicated to the memory of our brother James K. Seiberling .


This Website is dedicated to the descendants of Michael Seiberling (b.1699 - d.1791). The majority of all the Seiberlings who reside in United States today can trace their roots back to the eighteenth century and to one man (Michael Seuberlich, see note 1) who came from Germany. To most people this would be a 'so what' but when you realize some of the important accomplishments some members of this family have made (not only to the United States, but to the world). It does have an impact. Michael was the first Seiberling to come to America, he arrived on October 16, 1741 with his wife, two young sons and two very young daughters. They came on the ship MOLLY that left from Rotterdam, Netherlands, put into Deal, England, and then made the long crossing to Philadelphia. We know little about him except that he was forty two years of age and was able to write his own name, which indicates some kind of schooling in Germany. His wife, Sarah (b.1700 - d.unk.) and sons Michael (b.1728 - d.1759) 13 years old, Christian (b.1731 - d.1816) ten, and two sisters, Sara (b.1734) 7 years old and Christina (b.1737) 4 years old- (it is unknown if the young sisters survived the trip). Christian (our direct ancestor) was born in Ellmendingen, (Palatinate Area) Germany, so that is probably the location where the Seiberlings began their trip. The Seiberling family is said to have remained in Philadelphia for almost two months because there was danger from the Indians in the area they chose to settle. Their objective was a place in the timber country south of the Blue Mountains and about seventy miles north of Philadelphia (now known as Weisenburg Township, in the county of Lehigh). Friends eventually sent word to the Seiberlings, that there were no Indians south of the Blue Mountains, so it was safe to undertake the journey, which they made on foot in three days. They arrived in the middle of winter, and quickly went to work to build a cabin near a spring. Michael lived to see the Revolution from the English crown, a conflict in which his son Christian and grandson Frederick (b.1761 - d.1837) bore arms. Michael (Michael's older son) died in 1759 at the age of 31 and was unmarried. This left the responsibility of carrying on the Seiberling name in America on the shoulders of Christian. From 1778 to 1783 he was a private in the Northampton County Rangers. His name appears in two different volumes of the Pennsylvania Archives as a private of the Depreciation Pay List of Northampton County Militia. Michael (the elder) and Sarah, Christian's parents, lived with him and his wife Ernestine (Holben, b.1728, d.1824) until their death (Christian inherited his fathers farm). Christian and Ernestine lived out their lives on the farm (see note 2) and it was passed on to his son Fredrick. No burial site has ever been found for either Michael or Christian, but it is believed they are all buried somewhere on the farm. Fredrick went on the marry Catherine Weiss (b. unk, d. 1814) and was the father of John Frederick (b.1783, d.1875) who in turn was the father of Nathan (b.1810, d.1889). This brings us to the one person we want to especially honor, our great grandfather James H. Seiberling who was the son of Nathan Seiberling (see the Family Tree for more details). James H. Seiberling was born November 25, 1835 in Doylestown, Ohio and died July 7, 1916 in Jonesboro, Indiana. He was one of the original signers in organizing and incorporating the city of Doylestown in 1867 and was one of its first officers. He was a partner with Sam Miller in the Doylestown Banking Corporation, the Empire Mowers Reapers, and Twine Binders Co., and other business ventures. In 1890 James H. went to Jonesboro where he founded and was president of the Indiana Wire and Cable Co., his brother Monroe Seiberling being vice president. The factory was built to produce a high grade of insulated wire and cables. The Seiberlings had a lot to learn in order to convert the crude rubber into finished insulation in order to cover the bare conducting wire. The process began in Brazil, up the Amazon and into the interior of Brazil's heavy rain forest. (The rubber tree of Brazil is really a giant species of milkweed and when about fifteen years old it begins to yield a sap.) Sap hunters tapped the giant trees similar to the way sugar maples are tapped here in the U.S. The milky sap was carried to camps where it was heated. Long sticks were dipped in it, over and over so a ball could form on one end of the stick until it was too heavy to hold. The sap was allowed to dry until it was ready to be shipped in a crude ball or biscuit, to Jonesboro, Indiana. When the rubber arrived it was soaked and pressed through huge rollers to remove impurities and then hung for several months in a dark room at a temperature maintained at 100 degrees. When the rubber was thoroughly seasoned, it was cut into strips and put onto mixing rollers where other ingredients were introduced to make the best quality rubber for insulation. This whole process was known as Paranite. Two of the largest projects using this product were in the construction of the Panama Canal and the Lyric Opera House in Chicago. James H. was also involved with his brother Monroe in the Diamond Plate Glass Company in Kokomo, Indiana and also in the Kokomo Strawboard Company of which he was an officer. James H. Seiberling was the uncle of Frank A. founder of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and the Seiberling Tire Company. He was married to Elizabeth Baughman for fifty six years and together they reared five children, one of whom was our grandfather Robert. On First Street in Jonesboro he built a large house for himself and Elizabeth and houses for each of his children. A part of the factory and some of the houses still stand today. Note 1. The name 'Seiberling' originally came from the word 'Seiverlich' and was the name of a clan of people who lived in the region of middle Germany in feudal times. At some point in time, before the Reformation, a doctor Seiwerlich, along with his family, immigrated to Swabia in Southern Germany. He changed his name to 'Seiwerling'. As his family multiplied and scattered about, the name continued to be changed. Seuberlich, Seiweling, Suberling and Seiberling are a few of the German spellings. Note 2. Christian, like his father, had a conscientious and kind disposition. Even the Indians were his friends, they made frequent trips to his home and he gave them gifts of milk and tobacco, but never liquor. Some of the neighbors were harassed and killed by the Indians, but the Seiberlings were never disturbed. All of the dates and history herein were researched and gathered by our dedicated cousin Mary Ann Byrd and family friend Walter Arnold of Ellmendingen, Germany. This material was edited and compiled by his great grandchildren, Robert L. Seiberling , Marilyn G. Seiberling, his great great granddaughters, Katherine Seiberling Falbo, Carrie Seiberling and dedicated to the memory of our brother James K. Seiberling .
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